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Comment by clpm4j | Hacker News Reader

She didn't really "sign up" for it though. She was born into it in 1926. It's not like 2022 where she could've said "yeah, not for me, I'm moving to Santa Barbara". I don't see how she had any choice but to do what she did, and by all accounts she did it well.

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What do you mean? Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson. Not to mention countless other people born into royal families not only in European kingdoms, but also kingdoms throughout the world. Yes they were (in varying degrees) pressured to respect the line of succession but if Elizabeth II wanted to retire 10 years ago she would be able to.

> What do you mean? Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson

Which was a giant diplomatic incident. It wasn't without consequence.

Was it though? What real consequence for anyone not named Windsor was there?

I've never heard of one.

Edward was among other things the most popular man on the planet, the first real global modern celebrity.

His actions among others weakened British image in the world. He was also a nazi sympatizer.

> His actions among others weakened British image in the world

I don't see how that's true at all, and I've never seen any evidence to support it. Simply asserting it does not make it true.

> He was also a nazi sympatizer

Wouldn't that make him abdicating a good thing for England?

Everyone was actually more worried about Edward VIII not abdicating.

It's not like 2022 where she could've said "yeah, not for me, I'm moving to Santa Barbara".

Plenty of monarchs have done just that including her very own uncle.

Which begs the question of why they’re all moving to Santa Barbara. It must be lovely.

It is lovely but does not beg the question.

Maybe they like Welsh experimental rock music?

And he wasn't treated very well by his family as a result either. So you're kinda choosing between your family and leaving. Not saying you should always pick family, but for a young 20 something year old girl, that can be quite the ultimatum.

Most people end up doing something or other their family disapproves of - it's not some unusual hardship of adult life that outright prevents you from doing things. In his case, being both a doofus and a bit of a Nazi cut off the possibility of future family reconciliation. I suppose there's a line even in royal families.

> It's not like 2022 where she could've said "yeah, not for me, I'm moving to Santa Barbara"

That's true, back then she'd have to move to the Bahamas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallis_Simpson#Second_World_Wa...

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